🧀 Sfela
Also known as: Σφέλα
Sfela is a semi-hard PDO cheese in brine, of sheep's or goat's milk, from Messenia and Laconia in the southern Peloponnese.
Sfela is a semi-hard Greek cheese from the southern Peloponnese, matured and stored in brine. It is traditionally made from sheep's or goat's milk or a mix of the two in the prefectures of Messenia and Laconia. It has been known for over a hundred years, and the name has been protected in the EU as a PDO since 1996. 13
Why it looks this way. The milk is coagulated at 30–32 °C, and the curd is broken up, heated to 38–40 °C and left to drain in cloth. The mass is lightly pressed and cut into strips or slices that locals call sfelides. The slices are then salted on the surface. 3
Brine in two stages. First the cheese spends a month in vessels of 20 °Bé brine at room temperature. It then moves to the cold, at 4–6 °C, for at least three months until maturing is complete. It is not taken out of the liquid: it both matures and is stored in brine. 3
Where it comes from. The cheese is made using traditional methods and must mature within the defined area. The milk comes from the goat and sheep breeds traditionally raised here. Control rests with the agriculture directorates of Messenia and Laconia, in Kalamata and Sparta. 3
Why it matters to you. On the pack, look for the name Sfela with the PDO mark, the control mark ΣΦΕ, a serial number and the production date. Brine makes the cheese salty, so use less salt in any dish it goes into. The name is tied to Messenia and Laconia: a similar cheese from another region cannot use it. 3
Facts
| Raw material | Sheep's or goat's milk, or a mix of the two |
|---|---|
| Country | Greece |
| Region | Messenia and Laconia, Peloponnese |
| Duration | 1 month in brine, then at least 3 months at 4–6 °C |
| Legal basis | EU PDO since 21.06.1996, PDO-GR-0436 1 |
How it connects to Cheese
🧀 Sfela ← gives ← 🔄 Curdling → gives → 🧀 Cheese
Links
- Made from which milk
- 🥛 Sheep's milk, 🥛 Goat's milk
- How it is made
- 🔄 Curdling, 🔄 Ripening
- What is needed
- 🧂 Salt
- What it contains
- 🧪 Milk fat
- Traditions
- 🧑🤝🧑 Greeks, 🌍 Southern Europe
- Part of
- 🧂 Brined cheeses, 🇬🇷 Greek cheeses, 🏷️ Protected cheese names
Frequently asked questions
What milk is Sfela made from?
Sheep's or goat's milk, or a mix of the two.
Where is Sfela made?
In the southern Peloponnese, in the prefectures of Messenia and Laconia.
How long does it mature?
A month in brine at room temperature, then at least three months at 4–6 °C.
What are sfelides?
The strips or slices into which the cheese mass is cut before salting.
Is it true that Sfela is a new cheese?
No. An EU document says it has been known for over a hundred years.
What to read next
- 🥛 Sheep's milk — The richest in protein and calcium of the common milks; almost all of it goes into cheese.
- 🧪 Milk fat — ~3.5% in cow's milk.
- 🌍 Southern Europe — The Mediterranean south of Europe — Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal: sheep's and goat's milk cheeses and most of the world's olive oil.
- 🔄 Curdling — Rennet coagulates casein into a curd (the basis of cheese).
- 🧑🤝🧑 Greeks — The people of Greece, in the south of the Balkans and on Mediterranean islands; olives grown for over 4,000 years, with olive oil, feta and wine.
Similar
🧀 Kalathaki Limnou · 🧀 Batzos · 🧀 Anevato · 🧀 Graviera Kritis · 🧀 Pichtogalo Chanion · 🧀 Formaella Arachovas Parnassou
ℹ️ Dairy products contain lactose and milk proteins: if you are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk protein, ask a doctor.
Sources
- eAmbrosia — Σφέλα / Sfela (PDO-GR-0436)
- Commission Regulation (EC) No 1107/96
- Sfela PDO: summary of the specification, Ministerial Decision 313056/17.1.94 (EU register, FR)